New Spireites defender Scott Wiseman says that it’s fantastic to be back in pre-season training.

Wiseman has enjoyed a busy summer having recently signed for the club and also getting married. And while it’s been a summer that he’ll never forget, he’s glad to be up and running with his new team mates.

“Any footballer will tell you that it’s all well and good having time off in the summer but there comes a time when you’re sick of doing nothing and you want the routine back,” he told iFollow.

“You want to get back in training and amongst the boys and to be working hard more than anything.

“It’s been tough! The gaffer has not let us have it easy, we’ve got straight into it and hit the ground running and the boys have applied themselves magnificently.”

“It’s never easy coming back to pre-season, but this one has been particularly tough especially the first day, yesterday we did some testing and we’ve hit it hard again today!”

An experienced professional, Wiseman has a good idea what to expect from pre-season, but this one has been slightly different as he’s also getting to know new team mates as well as training methods.

Such experiences can be daunting for any player, but the former Scunthorpe United man says that settling in has been made easy.

He said: “It’s been one of those rare occasions where I’ve come into a club and that I don’t really know anyone other than Joe [Anyon] who I’ve signed with.

“But it’s been a good fresh start for me and the lads have welcomed me in more than anywhere else that I’ve been.”

Wiseman was speaking just hours after the Spireites found out their 2017/18 fixture list, with a home match with Grimsby Town to kick off proceedings on Saturday, August 5 (3pm).

The Gibraltar international has had a good look at the fixture list and he likes how things have turned out.

Wiseman said: “My initial thoughts are that it’s a good start for us, we’ve shouldn’t be scared of anyonecoming into this league.

“We’ve got Grimsby to start off with and that’s our first point of focus. Then for me personally I look at the Christmas fixtures to see where we are around that time because it’s an exciting time for the fans and families.

“There’s always one thing that you guarantee on the first game of the season and that’s that everyone is excited. The lads are going to be raring to go and we’ll be giving everything.”

Manager Gary Caldwell said that he wants his players to make a statement on the opening weekend of the season and Wiseman echoed those sentiments, believing that a good start will bode well for the remainder of the season.

He added: “It doesn’t matter where you start, but it is nice to be at home as that’s where you’re familiar with and this season we’re looking to the make the Proact a real fortress.

“It’s imperative that we start well and continue our form at home throughout the season.”